Naruto: Road to Ninja The Unwilling Team 7
by Crush48
Summary: Naruto and Sakura are dumped back into the Genjutsu world by Madara's Tsukuyomi technique. Left with the unusual condition of Madara not coming after them any time soon, meaning no opponent or means to escape, they are left with two obstacles. The life in Genjutsu world again, with Sasuke having been accidentally dropped in with them.
1. Chapter 1

_**So I just watched **Naruto: Road to Ninja **a few min. ago...**_

_**To give you fair warning, this will be crackish, but I will TRY (Emphasis on **TRY**) to keep people's personalities a bit canon or whatever.**_

_**Chapter 1 **_

_**The Contingency Red Moon**_

"You're really going to try that again?" The black and white toned ninja questioned in surprise. Madara had tried it already before. Why would he use the same plan again?

"Zetsu," the named ninja replied, his spiral mask hiding whatever expression he could be mustering at the moment. "You continue to doubt my plans," he said, but without any offense.

"Heh," Zetsu sounded in reply. His white half of his face grins in good nature. "So you plan on stealing the Kyuubi the exact same way?" he resumed, continuing his line of questioning.

"Actually, no," Madara retorts coolly. Zetsu's defined eye widened fractionally in shock.

"How else will you retrieve the Kyuubi?"

Madara turned his gaze from the Demon Gedo statue, stepping towards the edge of the precipice. "You remember how Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage was sealed away?" he queried, black and red schemed clothing flapping slightly from lack of air resistance.

Zetsu nodded with a grunt. The Fourth had sealed the Yin portion of the Nine-Tail's chakra within himself, before sealing the Kyuubi itself into his son's body. The realization hit him.

Black Zetsu spoke up. "You plan to take the Yin portion of the Nine-Tail's chakra, as a substitute for Naruto's..." he began.

"For the Gedo statue to absorb," White Zetsu concluded, the plan now clear to him.

"Precisely," Madara confirmed, leaping down to the base of the room near the opening where light shone in. Zetsu followed easily by phasing through the ground.

"Simply trying to take the Kyuubi from Naruto now won't be too hard. But going after it while in possession of the Yin Chakra will make it a cake walk."

"How will you manage it? Last I checked, The Fourth is trappd within the Shinigami and the Yin Chakra along with it."

"Even Death Gods can be tricked," Madara simply antiphoned cryptically.

* * *

"I am getting sick and tired of your attempts..." the black haired missing-nin stated in earnest. His eyes looked cold, as though he'd seen betrayal of the worst kind.

"Naruto," he continued. "I'm tired of repeating myself. Go away now. You're not convincing me either way. Konoha needs to be destroyed."

"Dammit, Sasuke!" The blonde haired knuckled-head Ninja returned in high volume. "You already had closure with your brother! You know this isn't what he wants!" After his outburst, he was answered by an oversized shuriken flying towards him. Leaping backwards to safety, the flung weapon harmlessly swept through the waterfall he was standing in front of just moments prior.

"Naruto! We should fall back..." Sakura implored, offering a weary glance towards Sasuke. The Uchiha made no preemptive move toward them. He simply watched both Uzumaki and Haruno with a cold and weary glare.

Naruto sighed forcefully. Sakura was right. He had chased after him the moment he caught sight of the missing ninja. Impulsively, he left the rest of team seven and team ten in the dust, jumping at the chance to retrieve the Uchiha that abandoned the village years ago.

He couldn't help but ball his fists. Why was Sasuke being such a...such an ass!

"Sasuke! You of all people should know!" Naruto began.

Sasuke only narrowed his eyes.

"Attacking the village is pointless now! You can't punish a village of people for what less than six people did!"

Sasuke grit his teeth. "You don't know anything...you little shit." Sasuke closed his eyes, his face suddenly relaxing.

"Amaterasu!"

Naruto reacted instantly, the power of Kurama increasing his speed to help him and Sakura avoid the black flames that materialized in mid air.

_He really tried to end me right there! _Naruto thought in anger. Though he shouldn't be suprised. This was what, the seventh time thy clashed?

"Give it up, brat," Sasuke said emotionlessly, preparing to take his leave.

"Looks like i've come just in time," a new voice said with a laugh.

"Madara!" Naruto shouted. The waterfall's crashing waves didn't do much to calm anyone's wired nerves.

"What are you doing here?" The younger Uchiha interrogated without bothering to break eye contact with Naruto.

"Just leaving a gift for your friends. Close your eyes for this one. It's a powerful Genjutsu," he explained, tossing in the air, a smoothed, crystalline orb into the air.

"You forget i'm a Uchiha?"

"I'm serious. Don't look," Madara reaffirmed, activating his own Sharingan eye.

"Not that jutsu again!" Sakura shouted in exasperation. Thinking quickly, she threw a duet of Kunai with explosive tagged seals. Hopefully that would jeapordize his plan before it starts.

"Good thinking!" Naruto appraised, throwing a quintet of his own tagged shurikens.

"Kamui," Sasuke uttered. All weapons that were on a collision course with the suspended orb simply vanished.

"No way..." Sakura murmured. Only Kakashi-sensei was able to do that. Him and Madara. Now Sasuke, too?

_He's learning quickly. Seems he's been doing training while I was away_, Madara thought with mentor-ly pride. _Ah, well, I _did _tell him to keep his eyes closed regardless. _

The orb began to collect unseen energy while at the same time getting darker in hue.

"I'll be seeing you later," Madara said, disappearing quickly in a vortex of his creation.

Sasuke was well aware he kept his eyes open, but no going back now. To all three Ninjas' awe, the orb looked as though it began to take the shape of a Sharingan eye, morphing and twisting before them.

Then the light was everywhere.


	2. Chapter 2

_**So I just watched **Naruto: Road to Ninja **2 days ago****...**_

_**I really liked the movie's plotline, but I felt there was barely enough interaction with the Genjutsu Konoha friends of Naruto. A lot of the material is going to be based off of the movie, so if there's something here that could act as a spoiler, I don't take responsibility. **_

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_**A Different Konoha**_

Naruto realized upon waking, that he and Sakura reappeared in the same exact spot that they materialized the first time. Getting off of his stomach and to his knees, he absently brushed off dirt from his orange and black jacket and then from his knees after standing. He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly, glancing at Sakura in concern.

Then he did a double take.

Face down next to Sakura, was the Uchiha they were just fighting.

"Sasuke," Naruto muttered, involuntarily balling his fists. Quickly, he gently pushed Sakura's shoulder, stirring her awake.

"Ugh. Naruto?" Sakura mumbled, massaging the slight pain in her right temple. "What happened?"

"It looks like Madara's genjutsu got us again," the blonde haired young man replied, his eyes still on something just behind Sakura.

Sakura nodded before noticing Naruto's tense expression. Maybe it wasn't some_thing _that Naruto was looking at but...

Haruno quickly jumped to her feet upon seeing the trademark white robe with the Uchiha clan symbol adorned on the back.

"What's he doing here?" she uttered without taking her eyes off of the still unconscious Sharingan user.

"Madara's genjutsu, it must have gotten him, too," Sakura continued, voicing Naruto's suspicion.

As though responding to their voices, Sasuke's hand clenched and he groaned from slight exhaustion. He slowly stood up, his back to the two, slowly brushing off the dirt.

Then he turned his head slightly towards them.

"Oh. You two."

"Even after all this time, you're still acting heartless!" Sakura shouted impulsively, raising an arm with a clenched fist.

"Sakura, wait!" Naruto pleaded, grabbing her arm before she could swing at Sasuke.

"While were here. There's definitely no point in fighting. The main goal is to find out how to get out of here, back to _our _world," Naruto reasoned. The Konoichi exhaled forcefully an relaxed her arm. Naruto had a point. Fighting wouldn't do any good while all of them were stuck in this genjutsu world.

"Naruto's right," Sasuke suddenly said. Both Sakura and Naruto looked at him incredulously. Sasuke seemed to had been patting down his robe, realizing he did not have the sword he'd come to place sentimental value to.

"Until were back in our world, you have my word as a ninja, I won't be attacking you."

"I guess this is the closest we'll get to being team seven again," Sakura commented, to which Sasuke began to make his way out of the park area and onto the sidewalk.

"Sasuke, wait!" Naruto demanded, falling into step with him along with Sakura, who pointedly stood on the opposite side of Naruto, farther from Sasuke.

"You need to know how much is changed here. Just waltzing into the village will cause a lot of problems."

"What, am I a missing-nin here too?" Sasuke retorted smoothly.

Naruto didn't know how to phrase his reply. Just the fact that he was in his prolonged dialogue with the Uchiha since before Sasuke had defected from the village just seemed more unreal than any genjutsu they were under at the moment.

"The thing is...you never left the village in this world," Sakura spoke up for Naruto, whom she saw was cringing at Sasuke's comment. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes in thought.

"And you're kind of a...womanizer and playboy," Sakura added without skipping a beat. To Naruto and Sakura's most pessimistic amusement, Sasuke's eye actually twitched.

"Also, there's something important you should know. The Uchiha clan is flourishing. They were never killed."

At this point, Sasuke showed no outward emotion, half expecting this. Naruto expected him to show signs of shock, anything, but he didn't show it. Sasuke only looked down at the ground, halting his strides.

Sasuke didn't know what to feel. He should have known that with what little Obito had told him, that the limited Tsukuyomi granted your innermost desire. But what would the Uchiha clan be doing here if Sasuke was never part of the genjutsu the first time around?

Unless Obito planned to to trap him here after he was done with him? Sasuke entertained the idea, and it wasn't farfetched, but the fact of the matter was, he wasn't yet powerful enough to face Obito just yet. Not even close. And hadn't a need to oppose him yet. Or maybe that was the point. Dispose of him before he became a problem?

No point in dwelling on it at the moment anyway. He continued to walk without saying anything to his former friends who, to his surprise and annoyance seemed to show some inkling of concern for him. Well, they could shove there concern somewhere else.

It had been several minutes, and the impromptu team seven had entered the village proper, where the lamps were not yet needed to be turned on. It was several hours off before moonlight would appear.

"Coming up with a plan can wait for today," Sakura declared. "We should all just relax for today and get a feel for this world before acting." Naruto nodded, while Sasuke remained expressionless and stoic. She took a silent and deep breath before addressing Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I would suggest you go to your family and learn everything you can at a steady pace."

"Fine," he said, walking towards what would have been his home. Sakura and Naruto watched him go and a silence passed between the whiskered young man and the pink haired konoichi.

"Honestly, i'm surprised he's even listening to us."

Sakura regarded Naruto and thought about his statement. "This world," she started. "It has a habit of making you reflect on a lot of things."

Sakura didn't voice it, but she hoped that maybe this was a blessing in disguise for Her, Naruto, and Sasuke. Maybe this world was just what the wayward ninja needed to finally come back home.

* * *

**I hope Sakura didn't seem _Too _distant in regards to Sasuke, but I didn't want her to seem clingy and hopeless either. I want to do all the characters justice. Also, this is my first Naruto fanfic, so it's a learning experience for me. I don't care how harsh the reviews are as long as they're constructive. **

**Perhaps, starting in the next chapter, there will be a lot of interaction between the three themselves and with the residents of the Genjutsu world. Also, I will try to incorporate some action as much as I can. This is a ninja anime after all. **


	3. Chapter 3

_**So I just watched **Naruto: Road to Ninja **2 days ago****...**_

_**Now some of the resident ninja will show up.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Acclamation**_

He reached the compound that bordered the market area of the village. Even though in his mind, he was ready for anything, his legs weren't agreeing with him. He remembered the fateful day he fought Kakashi, when he demanded he'd stop his journey of revenge, if his clan could be brought back.

He didn't know how to respond to that thought.

The Uchiha district looked just like he'd remembered...from when he was 5 years old. It was so surreal. Uchiha clan members were mingling on the road, in the village...everywhere you looked, there was at least one or two Uchihas conversing somewhere.

Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but they didn't. He was passed that. He didn't deserve to cry anyway. Relying on his memory, he let his feet guide him to what would, and he guessed, still is, his home. The house looked just as he remembered it...

Stepping inside as the door was left wide open, he walked towards the living room, past the wall, but then stepped back out of view.

Both his parents hadn't noticed him. They were sitting at the table, discussing everyday subjects he had no interest about.

But his thoughts weren't on what they were talking about, rather just their very _existence_.

Still, he continued to listen, not retaining what they were saying, rather just savoring their voices, recommitting them to memory.

And then another thought came to him.

Itachi was never put through pain in this world. Did that mean..?

"Foolish little brother."

Sasuke's eyes widened on instinct, pulling out a non-existent kunai from his robe.

_Of course. It slipped my mind. We didn't retain any weapons._

To Sasuke's surprise, Itachi stood before him in front of the door entrance in an _Akatsuki _uniform.

"...What?" Sasuke himself felt his own response was inadequate. He didn't know how to respond to his brother, who seemed to be watching him intently.

"I'm surprised you haven't brought another girl home today," Itachi said smoothly, removing his cloud decorated cloak, revealing his simple black shirt and an unassuming necklace.

_Sakura did say I was a playboy in this universe, _Sasuke reflected. He still couldn't think of an adequate reply. As much as he knew he _should _be at this moment, he couldn't muster the will to smile or even manage a smirk.

"A lot of stuff has been happening," Sasuke settled for the cryptic, not trusting himself to outright lie. Belatedly, Sasuke realized that Itachi was standing stock still where he had removed his cloak.

And with blinding speed, Itachi tossed several Kunai towards him.

Sasuke had reacted accordingly by evasive action, but Itachi had missed purposefully.

_He hasn't seemed to have changed a bit,_ Sasuke reflected, watching Itachi warily.

"You're not Sasuke," Itachi declared, to the younger's surprise. But Itachi's facial expression softened none the less.

"At least, not the one I live with."

"How did you know," Sasuke queried, rising from his kneeling he was forced to do to dodge the weapons.

"A stupid question. You're nothing like the Sasuke of this world, and I have seen this happen before."

Now Sasuke did feel stupid. When he was fighting Naruto in the forest before they were brought in this world, Sakura had shouted _Not Again_, a testament to them having been here before.

"I could see it in your eyes," Itachi continued, answering an unspoken question.

"Or rather, mine."

Sasuke looked up at him. "So you know," the younger brother commented, cupping his hand over his face, as though he could feel his eye just from the gesture.

"When I look at your eyes, I literally see my own. But you don't seem to have any killing intent. At least not in relation to here." At this point, Itachi was hanging his cloak onto a coat rack in the same hallway they were standing in.

"I suggest you just tell mother and father what's happened. It'll save you a lot of trouble while you're here," Itachi said, turning to enter the living room.

* * *

"Sakura, I was thinking, since in this world, your parents are heroes and all..."

Sakura understood what he meant, opting to let him continue with his line of thought.

"Maybe you should stay with..." Naruto seemed to be struggling to stay the next word or words. "My parents, while we're here," he finished, watching Sakura expectantly for an answer.

Sakura glanced at Naruto gratefully.

"That's very considerate, Naruto. But not today. I could use the alone time to think a little, at least just for today."

At this, Naruto smiled. Not his usual wide, boisterous grin, but a reserved bashful one that probably more truly reflected his nature. "I understand, Sakura."

Sakura gave him a friendly hug before waving and jogging off to her parents' old home.

"Well, might as well make the most of my stay here while I-"

He had interruped his own musings when he bumped into something like a forearm.

"Hey, watch i-" Naruto began to say, but his complaint died in his throat when he noticed who he was directing it at.

Naruto took a cautious step back, feeling a bit uncomfortable under that heavy stare.

"Uh, hey, Hinata...heh-heh" he rambled, noticing a vein throbbing on her forehead. That definitely wasn't the Byakugan, he observed fearfully.

"What were you doing walking around with her?"

"Hinata, she's a friend! Why do you have so much of a problem with her?"

"You've been hanging out with that flat chested tramp too much, that's my problem!" The Hyuga heiress retorted with crossed arms.

Any caution Naruto had upon running into this counterpart Hinata was suddenly thrown into the wind.

"Hey, take that back!" Naruto demanded, suddenly indignant. This Hinata may be scary, but nobody just calls Sakura a tramp! Suddenly, Hinata had a grip on his jacket's collar, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"I better not catch you cheating!" she whispered dangerously. "And you're going to take me to dinner tomorrow, or else."

Suddenly, her grip was released, and Naruto struggled momentarily to not lose all dignity and fall backwards. She stomped off while Shino and Kiba ran towards Naruto, just noticing the exchange.

"You okay, man? She has like Akamaru's personality. It's real creepy," he observed while walking Naruto to a seat at a nearby food stand.

"Thanks," Naruto said gratefully. Kiba nodded as he and Shino sat by either side of him, the Aburame suddenly spraying a bit of pesticide around himself. Naruto seemed to be examining the counter before he voiced the question that's been nagging him.

"Hey uh, Shino. Are me and Hinata, you know, like...in a relationship?" Naruto inquired, to which Shino grunted in response.

"What a strange question. Though I've never seen you actually ask her out. Personally, she's too domineering for my type."

"Ain't that an understatement," Kiba sarcastically remarked, ordering some type of grilled fish from the chef.

"Kiba, I thought you didn't like fish-Nevermind," Naruto amended. Of course he liked fish in this world.

"Dude! All cats like fish!"

_Why do I keep getting ignored? _Shino thought, annoyed, pulling out his _Bug-B-Gone_ in preparation for the insects beginning to float around him again.

* * *

Sakura was eating her favorite canned food while thinking on today's events. She was sitting at the table, writing down important details since Her, Naruto, and Sasuke had gotten here.

The first thing they needed to do in the morning was contact the Hokage and see if she has any method of actively returning to their own world. Honestly, they only really escaped the last time because Madara allowed it. Figuring a way out manually would be most important.

Sakura stood up, in the process pushing her seat backwards a bit. The second was how long they'd actually be here. It could take from a day, to two days, to weeks, even months. And she was not particularly keen on running into Hinata any time soon.

Then there was Sasuke. Him being here would definitely prove unpredictable. She wouldn't know how he was going to act while here, but she felt she could place some trust in Naruto. Sasuke had no reason or initiative to attack anyone here. Maybe this genjutsu would do Sasuke some good?

"Maybe i'm just being too optimistic," Sakura groaned, suddenly tired of the food on the table. She'd sone enough thinking for today. Perhaps she will take take Naruto up on his offer in sleeping at his house with his parents tomorrow.

* * *

**Lol, guess that wasn't very action-y, now was it. Plot build-up, if you will. And i'm going to avoid OC's and I want to make this good. Bear with me.**

**P.S. To NeoJubiSannin1870: Umm, where did you get the idea that this was a Yaoi, Lol. No, I don't do Yoai.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**So I just watched **Naruto: Road to Ninja **3**** days ago****...**_

_**Now some of the resident ninja will show up.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_**The Other Side Of the Coin**_

Per Itachi's advice, Sasuke had entered the living room with his older brother leading the way. Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha were a bit put off by Sasuke's choice of dress, but they came to understand his explanation, if only fragmentary.

"Hmm," Fugaku, the father, hummed, a thoughtful hand on his chin.

"Honestly, this explanation is ridiculous," he stated frankly, watching Sasuke for a reaction. His son, or what this young man was saying, his son from another world, didn't react. And no matter what his reservations were, that proved to help this young man's story.

His son wasn't the reserved type.

"But, as an Uchiha, I am forced to consider this possibility." His wife looked at him disbelievingly.

"Fugaku!" she scolded. "You can't honestly believe this! Our son's obviously going through a phase! Can't you see he's trying to emulate Itachi?" she tried to reason, gesturing towards Sasuke's combat sleeveless shirt and black pants covered by a waist robe, tied by a belt.

"It's not that. Look at his eyes," Fugaku said after a pause. Neither mother or father could place it, but his eyes looked different somehow. Very much serious and not playful like they were used to seeing on his face.

Mikoto sighed in defeat. "I guess you're right..." she relented, frowning slightly. A pregnant pause ensued before Sasuke spoke up.

"My...acquaintances ended up here also. My counterpart will return here once we figure out how to break through the genjutsu," the young man explained, more to break the silence than anything else.

"Sasuke, you don't have to avoid eye contact. We are equals," Fugaku noted. Sasuke brought his gaze from the ground to his parents. He almost didn't realize he was staring at the floor. Apparenly, aafter all that hardship he'd endured, there still remained that ingrained respect for his parents. Frankly, he didn't mind at all.

"And please. Make yourself at home while you're here."

"Thank you. Father." Sasuke said, hesitating only for a fraction before speaking the last two syllables. He bowed slightly at the waist, dismissing himself. "Mother." He made his way back to the hallway and towards the door. His face was stoic as ever, but he made sure they couldn't see the tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

* * *

"So it's happened again, huh?"

Naruto nodded in response to Minato's easygoing question. The young blonde had his arms resting on the dinner table, watching his father and mother intently.

"And you don't know how to go back this time around?" The red haired Konoichi questioned with a hand on her chin and head cocked slightly to the side.

"Sorry, ma...I got back last time after I fought Mada-The masked man. But, he didn't change anything like last time, and we don't know how to get back manually," Naruto replied, unconsciously mirroring his mother's contemplative gesture. The scene wasn't lost on Minato, who allowed himself a chuckle.

"Well then," he declared, leaning back in his chair and balancing it on it's back legs. "Guess we'll have to wait," he added, shrugging.

Kushina grunted, annoyed, but didn't do anything further. "Guess there's nothing for it. We'll just have to tell the Hokage about it, and see what they can do on their end," she elaborated.

"Sounds good to me," Naruto shrugged.

"Well Menma-" Minato stopped himself. "...Naruto. Right?" he amended, looking at his progeny expectantly.

Naruto nodded. "I never got the chance to see firsthand how you fight, besides against the masked man. How about it? Spar tomorrow?"

"Are you kidding? That would be great!" Naruto exclaimed, nearly shooting from his chair.

"I want to see how you fight, too!"

Suddenly, Naruto got just a bit nervous. What little he knew of his mother, she was scary when serious.

"heh..." Naruto sounded, suddenly not so confident about how his physical condition would turn out tomorrow.

* * *

Sasuke had been walking through the market area for all of 30 seconds before several girls, at _least _7 in total, whom began to throw questions at him. They were all blushing and raising questions ranging from how he was doing today to where he got his 'fine' clothing.

_Urgh, this other version of me makes me sick, _Sasuke thought, chagrined. "Go away, not interested," he muttered, just loud enough for them to hear.

"But, you promised you'd give me a rose today!" another one of the girls whined, the rest of them basically parroting what she just said.

Sasuke just wanted alone time to think, but these girls just had to show up and ruin it.

"Again! Go away. You're all annoying!" Sasuke declared, his voice even, as he continued to walk. The girls he just told off seemed offended by his suddn mood swing. They looked at each other, and then at Sasuke's retreating form.

"This 'bad boy' persona of his is a lot better!" one of them observed.

"Definitely!" another agreed before they all decided to try and catch back up with him.

* * *

At this very moment, two Jounin were wrapping up their sparring session, though only one of them was carrying the enthusiasm of the exercise.

"C'mon, Gai!" Kakashi encouraged, throwing a spin kick which the other man, whose hair was cut bowl style, dodged almost lazily. "Where's your youthful energy!?" He continued his 'youthful' assault, throwing a kunai aimed at Guy's armored flak jacket.

"I think I ran out of it half a decade ago," Gai replied lethargically, retaliating with a dash punch to Kakashi's left. The 'Copy Ninja' leaped backwards, just evading the counter and the both of them sat and rested where they were.

"You have to stay energized, man. Don't let the aura of the world make you tired," the Hatake advised, arms crossed, even in his seated indian style.

"Hrm," Gai grunted. _Easy for you to say when you're the one who's half a year younger. _Gai didn't voice it though. Were he say that out loud, he wouldn't hear the end of it from the grey haired jounin.

"Well, it is late. But we have to increase our pace tomorrow," Kakashi relented, already planning tomorrow's activities.

"Oi, you gotta be kiddin' me," Gai complained under his breath. Except his tired sigh was outdone in volume by an explosion nearby.

Gai was suddenly more serious than aloof as he tuned his ears in to the sound.

"You heard that?" Gai queried, not quite looking at Kakashi, but in the general direction of the explosion's source.

"Yeah, we should check it out and report to the hokage."

* * *

**Hmm. A little bit of action. But the plot thickens. I promise you, next chapter will be even better.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**So I just watched **Naruto: Road to Ninja **3**** days ago****...**_

_**Sasuke and Sakura have a philosophical discussion.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

_**The Other Side Of the Coin**_

To Sasuke's pleasant surprise and dissapointment, she had noticed Sasuke sitting at the courtyard's ledge, facing the body of water.

_This was the same place where we did introductions as Team 7, _Sakura observed idly. Looking at the ground, she struggled to decide if she should try to talk to him, or just wait until tomorrow. Though she wouldn't tell Naruto...She was worried. She remembered when she found Sasuke ready to kill the Karin girl. And how he was ready to dispose of her just the same. Frankly, she didn't know if it was in her best interest to try to talk to him alone.

"Get a hold of yourself, Sakura," she whispered to herself. She was a ninja, a Chunnin at that! Being a scared little girl was something she'd grown out of before the second Chunnin exams.

When Sakura had reached Sasuke, where she could see his face, he glanced at her without moving his head, but did not speak.

"Sasuke." She initiated the conversation. Inexplicably, a pained expression flashed across Sasuke's face. But it wasn't there long enough for her to guess what it was.

"We're all supposed to meet tomorrow," Sasuke said emotionlessly. It sounded like a dismissal. But she wouldn't be caving in. Not when she had the chance to talk to him civilly.

"Sasuke, while we're all here, don't you think it's best if we all just talked? At least to better understand each other?"

Sasuke hadn't so much as flinched since she'd came to him, but he did close his eyes meditatively.

"Why bother?"

Sakura didn't think she had an answer that would satisfy him.

"I tried to murder you," the missing-nin said with no inflection in his voice. He stated it as fact, with no emotion behind it. "Even I know that i'm past getting through to."

_But don't you see? You're talking to someone about it. That's progress,_ The medic-nin reflected. Sakura sat down next to him and he didn't move or react.

"You know, a shinobi once told me," she started, studying the waves from their position. "'Give up on me giving up.' Naruto said that," she credited, not looking away from the view of the waves. Sasuke glanced at her again and back at the ocean before sighing tiredly.

"I promised Itachi after he died, that I would avenge him. To restore my clan's honor," Sasuke retorted, balling one of his fists instinctively. Even now, the argument felt weak to him somehow, but he didn't know _why_.

"Tell me something. Is your brother the same as he was in our world?"

"Yes," Sasuke muttered in reply. Sasuke could feel that she was hitting on the one detail that he was trying to figure out. Why was his conviction wavering?

"Have you talked to Itachi about it? Your experiences in the other world?"

Sakura hit the nail right on the head. But somehow, Sasuke already knew that was the missing detail.

Thing was, he did not know if Itachi would approve. And he had the niggling feeling that he wouldn't.

"I don't want to know his answer," Sasuke said after a pause. Sakura looked at him sympathetically before deciding she should make her leave.

"I...I don't want to overstay my welcome...so see you tomorrow, Sasuke," she said, standing up quickly.

"Sakura, wait."

She froze, turning her head in his direction.

"I...Thank you," Sasuke settled on saying, turning his head back to the seascape. Sakura half-smiled before making her way to Naruto's house.

* * *

"Well, at least the Ramen here is good as usual!" Naruto commented appreciatively, his hands clapped together with the chopsticks wedged in between his palms.

"That's peculiar, you don't usually want my famous _Kamaboko _in your dishes, it usually has the bamboo condiment," the chef noted with a kind laugh.

"Always had a soft spot for fish!" Naruto said truthfully, and he hoped it wasn't technically a lie, seeing as how the Naruto here, or _Menma _liked bamboo for some reason. That stuff is disgusting!

"Ha! Well enjoy the food! I have a surplus of some more of the fish if you want to take any home!"

Naruto almost choked on his food. Hiding the pain in his throat, Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

_Crap! I forgot Ma was cooking food today! But I already ordered and have this ramen in front of me! Oh well, can't be discourteous. _

So Naruto ate his food heartily, savoring the tasty (but not quite nutritious) noodle dish.

And then came the hammer fist to the top of his head.

His face was propelled into his noodle dish, and Naruto could sense a presence towering over him.

"Menma! I've decided you're taking me to dinner _tonight_!"

Naruto was covering his face in pain from the heat of the dish and after wiping his face, he regarded this _reverse _Hinata tiredly.

"Oi...I just ate half of this already! I'm already getting full!" Naruto complained with an air of someone who was greatly offended. Hinata simply glared with her seemingly pupil-less eyes.

"That sounds very much like a personal problem! Now lets go. My parents don't know where i'm at right now!"

Naruto curled his lip comically and narrowed his eyes to slits.

"Sounds very much like a personal problem!" Naruto parroted with an exaggerated pose. The Hyuga's eye and lip twitched in annoyance. Rearing her hand back, she palm struck him in the chest, Naruto's body flying to the wall with a pained yelp.

"Ow..." Naruto groaned, his chest _and _back stinging from both the strike and the collision with the wall.

"As I was saying," The Hyuga said arrogantly. "Let's _go_," she commanded, hefting him up and putting him in a neck hold, all but dragging him out of the restaurant, to the amusement of the chef.

* * *

Sakura had reached the commercial district, which was adjacent to Naruto's family's house. She could even see the general shape of the home across the road, past a row of restaurants.

"Naruto did tell me that his mom makes some mean seafood," Sakura said to herself in response to her now grumbling stomach. With food in mind, she quickened her steps in hopes of getting to the house before the night got any more darker.

Turning a corner, she saw Naruto...

being dragged across the road by a neck hold, by none other than Hinata. The Hyuga heiress was Stomping across the road, with Naruto who looked half-dazed. The dark haired girl noticed Sakura's surprised expression and came to a stop in front of her.

"I'm watching you, flat chest!" Hinata growled before continuing down the road towards a restayrant along with Naruto, who still looked out of it.

Sakura sighed with depressed vigor. She _really _hoped they didn't have to stay here _too _long.

* * *

"So what do you think that is?" Kakashi whispered towards Gai, who was seated on a branch across from the copy-ninja.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't look good," Gai uttered in reply.

Down at the ground a decent distance from them, was a large bunker made of wood. From the architecture they could tell that it was made via Jutsu.

"This smells of suspicion. There are no wood elementals in Konoha, since..." Kakashi couldn't finish his statement. He almost hoped it wasn't who he thought it was. Once the guy became a missing-nin...well, it was bad news.

"We don't know for sure, yet. Right now, we should report this to the Hokage," Gai noted, jumping to his feet with perfect balance.

"Right!" Kakashi concurred, already jumping to another tree in the direction of Konoha.

"Aye, aye, aye, Kakashi! Slow down, will you! I'm not as young as I used to be!" Gai complained hopelessly, complaining of his fears of getting arthritis soon.


End file.
